Chapter 12 - THE RIVER WAREHOUSE
We did not call the police.
Not yet.
Daniel drove one vehicle.
Marcus drove another.
Luka sat beside me in the back seat, one hand pressed against his injured shoulder.
“You should be at a hospital.”
“I dislike hospitals.”
Despite myself, I smiled.
Then the warehouse appeared.
A rusted building beside the river.
Daniel gave us the access code.
He stayed outside with Marcus.
Luka and I entered through a side door.
Inside, my mother was tied to a chair beneath a single hanging light.
Vanessa stood behind her.
Arthur Vale stood beside her.
I had seen him at charity dinners.
Hospital fundraisers.
Once, he had kissed my cheek at my wedding.
Now he smiled at me like an old family friend.
“Elena.”
“Let her go.”
“In a moment.”
My mother looked at me.
“Where is Sofia?”
“Safe.”
Relief filled her face.
Vale sighed.
“Michael taught you distrust.”
“My father taught me a lot of things.”
Vale smiled.
“Not enough.”
He held up a white envelope.
The last DNA envelope.
My name was printed across it.
“Do you know what this contains?”
“My biological father.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
“I would rather show you.”
He extended the envelope.
Luka grabbed my arm.
“Don’t.”
Vale laughed.
“Still following Michael’s orders, Luka?”
Luka’s expression did not change.
Vale looked at me again.
“You believe I destroyed your family.”
“You did.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Michael did that himself.”
My mother began struggling against the ropes.
“Arthur, stop.”
Vale ignored her.
“Michael Hart stole Meridian’s research because he discovered the identity of R-1.”
My heart pounded.
“Who was R-1?”
Vale’s smile disappeared.
“Michael Hart.”
The world tilted.
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
“No.”
Vale nodded.
“Michael was your biological father after all.”
I could not breathe.
“He knew?”
“Not when you were born.”
Vale stepped closer.
“Years later, he discovered Meridian had used his preserved genetic sample without his permission.”
My mother sobbed.
“He loved you before he knew.”
Vale laughed.
“How touching.”
My anger exploded.
“You took his DNA.”
“We created something extraordinary.”
“You created me without consent.”
“And you created Sofia.”
Luka stepped in front of me.
Vale’s expression became almost reverent.
“Sofia is the first child to inherit two compatible M-series markers.”
I froze.
“Two?”
Vale looked at Luka.
Then back at me.
“Yes.”
“One from you.”
He smiled.
“And one from her father.”
Behind us, a door opened.
Daniel entered.
May you like
Vale smiled wider.
“Which is why Daniel Reed’s zero-percent paternity test was completely accurate.”
